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Cineclick Asia merges with Fantom

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HONG KONG -- South Korean international sales and movie production house Cineclick Asia has merged with Fantom Entertainment Group as part of its plans to step up co-productions and movie investment, the company said Tuesday.

The merger, which took effect March 12, combines Fantom's 11 entertainment-related affiliates -- including talent management, movie and television production, music publishing and distribution -- with the growing Cineclick Asia.

The merged company will continue with the name Cineclick Asia for its visual entertainment business, which will see Cineclick lead corporate strategy and general operations.

"Fantom is very enthusiastic about the film industry, but it did not have in-depth knowledge about the business," Cineclick managing director Suh Young-Joo said in an interview on the opening day of the Hong Kong International Film Festival.

With the merger, Suh adds the title of vp film and media at Fantom Entertainment Group. "We can bring our expertise and take our business to the next level," she said.

Fantom, which is listed on Korea's KOSDAQ tech stock market, was founded in 1990 as a sporting goods manufacturer and moved into entertainment in 2005.

Cineclick Asia, established in February 2000 as a division of Interclick Co., has represented more than 45 Korean films, including "The Host," "Oldboy" and "Oasis." It recently moved into international investment and representation, with its first project, Chinese director Wang Quanan's "Tuya's Marriage," winning the Golden Bear at February's Berlin International Film Festival.

Cineclick also is co-producing Siddiq Barmak's next film, "Opium War," and is developing foreign-language projects, both commercial and art house, with producers and directors in China, Australia, the U.S. and Argentina.